Chapter 26: Sabito Isn't Sleeping Tonight Either
Giyuu's past was not a complicated one.
In simple terms, his parents had died when he was young, leaving him to depend solely on his older sister. Not long ago, however, that very sister had died tragically at the hands of a demon while shielding him, plunging him into a state of complete isolation. He was convinced that his own weakness had led to her death, and that someone as kind as his sister should never have had to sacrifice herself for him.
Akira already knew the broad strokes of this story from the memories of his past life, but he learned the finer, more painful details from Makomo, which served to confirm that his recollection was accurate.
However, Makomo's retelling was colored by her own deep-seated emotions, and what could have been a brief summary stretched into an hour-long, heartfelt account.
"So, I'll be leaving him in your hands, Little Akira. Thank you… thank you so much." Makomo pressed her palms together, bowing her head in gratitude again and again.
"It's far too early for thanks," Akira replied gently. "After all, I might not even be able to come up with an effective solution."
"That doesn't matter. The fact that you're willing to help is already more than enough reason to be thankful. I won't disturb your rest any longer. Good night."
"Mm. Good night."
As the door slid shut once more, Akira felt a headache beginning to form behind his eyes. In truth, the solution to Giyuu's problem wasn't particularly difficult, especially with the original story from his memories serving as a reference.
The simplest and most effective way to pull Giyuu from the depths of his self-imposed isolation was to, quite literally, shake him awake.
The difficulty lay in the execution. First, the person delivering this harsh wake-up call had to be someone who held significant weight in Giyuu's heart; otherwise, the attempt would be utterly meaningless. Second, the right words were needed to guide Giyuu to a natural emotional breaking point. This would create the perfect opening for the other person to strike, stirring Giyuu's stagnant emotions and maximizing the method's 'curative' effect.
Having laid out the logic, Akira rose from his futon, left his room, and made his way toward Sabito's bedroom.
The reason was obvious. How could he, someone who had been here for less than a day, compare to Sabito, the senior who had been living alongside Giyuu for over a month? also, Sabito had taken Giyuu under his wing shortly after the boy had lost his sister. Akira was certain that Sabito already held a special place in Giyuu's heart.
Logically, Makomo, his senior sister, and Urokodaki Sakonji, his master, should also hold a high standing in Giyuu's heart. But how could he ask a gentle girl or a venerable old man to handle something so confrontational?
Therefore, it had to be Sabito.
Knock, knock, knock.
A muffled, groggy voice answered from within. "Mmm… who is it?"
Sabito shuffled out of bed, still lost in a daze.
"It's me, Kanzaki Akira."
Bleary-eyed, Sabito slid the door open, gesturing for Akira to enter. "It's so late, Kanzaki-san. Is something the matter?"
"It's about your junior."
"Giyuu?" The name was like a splash of cold water. Sabito's sleepiness vanished in an instant, his posture straightening. "What happened to him?"
"Calm down, nothing's wrong with him. It's just that what I'm about to say concerns him." Akira held up a hand to pacify him. "It's like this… earlier, Makomo came to see me…"
Akira quickly explained everything, from Makomo's visit and her concerns, to the solution he had devised and the reasoning for choosing Sabito as the ideal person to carry it out.
"...Something like that… perhaps it really could work," Sabito murmured, pondering the plan. He had to admit, the method Akira described sounded feasible. "But how am I supposed to do it? How can I get to a point where I can't help but strike Giyuu? He's usually so listless… I'd still feel hesitant to hit him."
"That's what I need to worry about," Akira said, shaking his head. "And to ensure your emotional response is sufficiently natural, I won't be telling you the specifics in advance."
"Then… why did you come looking for me so late, Kanzaki-san?" It was only then that Sabito realized the flaw in the logic. If he wasn't supposed to know the plan, then Akira's late-night visit seemed entirely pointless. Whether he was told or not wouldn't affect the outcome.
"This?" Akira's expression was the picture of innocence as he replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, it's to make sure I'm not the only one staying up so late tonight."
A beat of silence hung in the air.
Sabito's face was a mask of utter bewilderment.
"Kanzaki-san," he said, his head dipping slightly as a shadow fell across his face. His voice was low, laced with a gloomy edge. "I have an idea."
"Hmm?"
"Before I have to beat up Giyuu," Sabito began, lifting his head. His eyes, now sharp and focused, held a dangerous glint as he stared at Akira with undisguised ill intent. "Can I warm up on you first?"
"If you're confident, feel free to try," Akira replied with a placid smile, spreading his hands in an open invitation.
"…"
Defeated, Sabito let out a frustrated sigh. "Get out. And don't let the door hit you on the way. I hope you have nightmares tonight!" He grabbed Akira by the shoulders and pushed him out of the room.
Akira didn't resist. Instead, he turned back just before the door closed and said, "Then your blessing probably won't come true. My sleep quality is excellent. I rarely even have dreams, let alone nightmares."
Sabito no longer wanted to listen. He slammed the door shut with a resounding thud.
"I suddenly understand the poet Su Dongpo a little better," Akira mused to himself, looking up at the vast, star-dusted sky. He had a solid idea for the plan, but it couldn't be applied in the middle of the night. Everything had to wait for the right moment.
That night, Akira slept soundly. Indeed, what should one do when sleep refuses to come? Just drag a fellow 'sleepless' friend over for a chat. The old poet truly knew what he was talking about.
Meanwhile, in his own room, Sabito was likely fuming, staring at the ceiling and cursing Akira's name.
"Kanzaki, my boy. I will first demonstrate the sword forms of Water Breathing for you. Memorize the movements, and then I will slowly teach you the essence behind them."
In the center of the small courtyard, Urokodaki Sakonji addressed Akira before taking his stance. The old master began to move, his blade cutting through the crisp morning air.
"Water Breathing, First Form: Water Surface Slash."
"Second Form: Water Wheel."
"…"
"Ninth Form: Splashing Water Flow, Turbulent."
"Tenth Form: Constant Flux."
Water Breathing was, indeed, the style with the lowest barrier to entry. As it was the most widely practiced, it also boasted the most sword forms among all the Breathing Techniques in the Demon Slayer Corps., its swordsmanship was perfectly balanced between offense and defense, allowing a swordsman to advance or retreat with equal proficiency; it was a remarkably well-rounded style.
This was the core characteristic of Water Breathing.
When the final strike landed, Urokodaki stood panting slightly. He was older than Kuwajima Jigorō, and performing the entire set of Water Breathing forms at once was now a taxing endeavor.
However, though his physical functions had declined with age, decades of ingrained muscle memory allowed him to execute every movement to perfection. Through Akira's Super Vision, he could clearly perceive the deep difference between Urokodaki's swordsmanship and that used by Makomo.
This was a blade honed and refined through countless real battles—the polishing of every instant, of every single move.
"Kanzaki boy, how was it?"
"Exquisite forms," Akira answered with deep respect. "Every movement has been polished through one battle after another to perfectly suit you, Urokodaki-senpai. Truly worthy of the former Water Hashira."
"How much did you learn?"
"Just a moment."
Akira took up a wooden sword of his own and began to mimic the movements he had just witnessed.
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